Classroom 2014- 2015 Reveal

After a 60+ hour work week (not even including all the time I spent working on stuff at home) my classroom is finally ready for twenty-five new kiddos to come in Monday morning.

I did some reorganizing this year and I'm loving the changes I made. I opened up the back of my classroom by moving my desk onto another wall. There's a lot more space for me to work and more space for the kids to move around my area.

 I also bought another shelf from Target to add to my library. The pink, blue, and green baskets on the white shelf are from the Dollar Tree. The wire baskets on the green shelf are from Target circa 2011. There's still a lot of picture books in laundry baskets (not seen in picture). I just can't part with any of them. I'm just glad all of my series are finally organized and labeled.

I added a table behind my guided reading kidney-table. This table will hold my guided reading books, assessments, and tools. Check out the tassel garland I made on the window. Love!

 I have gotten SO many complements on my burlap "write" banner. It is so cute and definitely gets the point across that this is my writing center.

So those are my favorite parts of my classroom. I didn't really take any pictures of my desks/meeting rug area because that hasn't changed much from last year.

We had "Meet the Teacher" day yesterday. I'm calling it MTT day, rather than MTT night because it lasted f.i.v.e. hours. Honestly, the time went by fast and I met 21 of my new students. I love when parents bring supplies on this day because then I can sort them and have the class beautiful again for the first day of school. I wish I would have gotten a picture of all the supplies from last night. I have enough computer paper and glue sticks to last until 2075. Just kidding, this is second grade. They'll last us until November.

Here's the CUTEST sign I found to welcome my parents! (Not to mention the best mints ever invented!) Check out this free sign from First Grade Owls.

The next thing I'm proud of is how I set up their desk. I planned so well for my new families that I even had a to-do list for them to do when they got there. It told them what to put in their child's desk and what to put in areas around the room. I also went ahead and made all of their folder labels. That way the parents can put them on for me (hallelujah)! Then I had a Smarty Pants math problem and a "fun fact" for the kiddos to read. That means on night one I get a quick assessment on how well they can read and do math. (Great news- all of my new students got the math problem right!) I didn't get a picture of the to-do list, but here is their folder with some goodies

The ADORABLE postcards come from Bits of First Grade. She has them to go for kindergarten through third grade and there are four different ones for each grade.

The free glow stick printable came from The Teaching Tribune. I bought the glow sticks from the Dollar Tree. (Like I told a parent on MTT day- everything in my classroom comes from Target, Hobby Lobby, Dollar General, or Dollar Tree. We keep it frugal, but cute, up in our room!)

I've been so exhausted everyday this week, but hard work really does pay off. A coworker of mine, who gives tours to prospective students, said that my classroom is always in the running for cutest on the hall. But I think that's just because she knows how competitive I am. So did I win? Did I?!?!

I might be tied for first place with Mr. R's classroom, but that's only because I helped pick out his things ;)

It's 9pm on a Friday and I'm probably heading to BED. Exciting life, I know. This weekend will consist of more schoolwork, an old roomie's birthday party, and my first Bridal Expo. I think I'm allowed to become a Bridezilla after attending it, right?